Fast-casual restaurants are continuing to invest in AI as they aim to personalize customer experiences and gain productivity for their internal operations.
The restaurant industry has faced inflation and the rise of food prices throughout 2026. Although companies have struggled to pin down a return on investing in the technology, restaurants including Starbucks, Wingstop and Chipotle are forging ahead with implementation.
Chipotle CEO Scott Boatwright highlighted the company’s AI leadership in its third quarter earnings call on Oct. 28, saying Chief Digital Officer Arlie Sisson, who joined the company in May, will also now lead AI architecture for the tech team to help scale the technology.
Boatwright said the company is still early on in figuring out what AI can do, but one of its pilots — a forecasting tool that helps recommend the right amount of freshly prepared food at the right time — has been rolled out to 500 restaurants and will be rolled out nationally early next year. The tool has helped reduce manual data entry, increased prep efficiency and reduced food waste, the CEO said.
The company is also developing Ava Cado, an in-restaurant AI assistant that would assist general managers with operational insights and coaching. Chipotle’s proprietary digital interface, Chipotle Kitchen, is also currently rolling out to restaurants with plans to reach several hundred by the end of the year, Boatwright said.
Chipotle’s ongoing strength in loyalty contributed to an overall positive quarter, with comparable restaurant sales increasing 2.1% year over year, and revenue rising to 9.6% year over year.
“The technology is designed around improving the outcomes that matter most for our teams and guests: order accuracy, on-time fulfillment, speed, ease of integrating new menu items and guest satisfaction,” Boatwright said.
AI powers CX
Starbucks is rolling out technology to its supply chain to improve its demand forecasting, ordering accuracy and replenishment cycles, CEO Brian Niccol said during the company’s Q4 earnings call Oct. 29.
The move is part of a “major tech modernization year” in fiscal 2027, he said, which includes new staffing, scheduling and point-of-sale systems that aim to simplify tasks, improve the speed of service and allow associates to spend more time face-to-face with customers.
The modernization efforts also include updates to its app, making tailored recommendations based on customer preferences, AI integrations for search and discovery and future compatibility with agentic ordering, Niccol told investors. Next year, the company will begin testing background AI models in its app for drive-thru orders, aimed at helping baristas with accuracy and efficiency, he said.
“We’re also working to reimagine the drive-thru experience to make it faster, more convenient and more personal,” Niccol said on the call. “Roughly half of our customers use the drive-thru, making it a significant opportunity.”
Starbucks’ U.S. same-store sales rose 7.7% in Q4, as it remodeled stores, refocused marketing and retooled in-store service as part of a turnaround plan.
Wingstop is also pursuing AI gains in customer service, seeking to add personalization to its customer-facing tech offerings. The company activated an AI-driven personalization engine targeting guests with personalized offers, CEO Michael Skipworth said during the company’s Q3 earnings call on Oct. 28.
Initial tests showed that guests receiving personalized offers generated higher total sales compared with those who didn’t, Skipworth said, demonstrating value and scalability, as the company seeks to reverse its drop in same-store sales.
The company also launched an AI system for its employees to create faster insights and gain clarity and focus on performance outliers. It joins an AI tool kit for associates along with proprietary technology and data capabilities across Wingstop Smart Kitchen and Club Wingstop.
Wingstop also made a strategic move around AI. In August, it hired Jordan Yankovich from Boston Consulting Group as its chief AI officer, Skipworth said on the call.
“Technology has always been at the forefront of our business, and we've invested significant time and resources in our proprietary platforms and data capabilities to build what we believe is a competitive advantage for Wingstop,” Skipworth said.
